Trade mission

EMX’s Mexican Trade Mission: Open call for European participants to join a physical trade mission to Mexico City (May 23-29, 2022)

GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS – Please make sure you read through it carefully before filling the application form. Important! Please note that in the particular context of this call, by Europeans we mean: permanent residents of EU countries, as well as countries taking part in the Creative Europe programme and UK residents.

In a Nutshell

As part of the EMX project, we’re looking for:

15 European music professionals, working in the electronic music genres, including all sub-genres, from Electronica to Techno, House to Ambient and anything in between.
To participate in our Mexican trade mission, a hands-on, week-long physical trade mission to Mexico City from May 23 – 29, 2022, with an online Mission preparation day announced later.
For this project, we are targeting participants involved in artist management, recording, publishing and live music sectors.
The trade mission will consist of curated market introduction sessions, matchmaking 1-1- meetings, group brainstorming sessions, networking dinners as well as on-site visits to local music industry companies as well as major local clubs and venues together with Mexican music professionals working across the same music genres, with plenty of networking opportunities,
Selected applicants will get a 1360 EUR travel bursary in order to pay for their international travel from Europe to Mexico, airport transfers and one week accommodation in Mexico City. Participants need to plan to cover further expenses themselves: local travel, meals, drinks etc.

What is EMX?

The wider EMX initiative is a 22 month long project, funded by the European Commission – click here to read the full press release. The EMX project’s aim is to test new strategies to develop and promote the export of European Music. Hand in hand with networks representing European music professionals, artists, musicians, authors and composers, the general objective of this work will be to experiment with different approaches to reinforce the international foothold of the EU music sector, and generate new knowledge to European music export through research and innovative pilot actions. The Mexican Trade Mission is one of these pilot actions.

What is the EMX’s Mexican Trade Mission, and what are its key objectives?

The EMX Mexican Trade Mission is a physical trade mission focusing on electronic music, with industry professionals working in this genre taking part in a one week trade mission to Mexico City.
Prior to the physical trade mission the trade mission will organize an online Mission Preparation day. Exact date will be announced later.

We will bring together the best creative minds and visionaries in Mexican and European electronic music scenes. Over the seven day trade mission to Mexico City the participants will have the opportunity to really spend time with local music industry professionals to think and experiment what the future of a sustainable European/Mexican collaboration could look like. We will have curated market introduction sessions, matchmaking 1-1- meetings, group brainstorming sessions, networking dinners as well as on-site visits to local music industry companies as well as major local clubs and venues. There will be plenty of networking events in order to multiply the chance of finding your next business partner.

Mexican participants will include representatives of festivals & music business events (e.g. Marvin Festival, MUTEK, NRMAL, FIMPRO), concert promoters (e.g. Ocesa, Noise Lab), electronic music clubs (e.g. Japan Club, Bar Oriente, Departamento), PR agencies, labels, publishers & sync agents as well as representatives from music associations (MMF Mexico, AMPROFON) – all tbc.

Key objectives include:

Increased understanding of the local culture and market
Sharing challenges, opportunities and solutions
Forging long-term relationships
Imagining the future of transatlantic artistic collaboration
Trade

What will the EMX’s Mexican Trade Mission main activities and full program look like?

Day 1-2

The first and second day of the trade mission the program will consist of in-depth introductions to the Mexican music market by local experts introducing market research and case studies of successful international collaborations. During the first two days we will also organize speed meetings, brainstorming sessions and networking dinners with local industry professionals. They will be an opportunity for participants from both sides of the Atlantic to get acquainted with their respective markets and company offerings, and exchange business cards.

Day 3-4

Days three and four will be dedicated to company visits. Visited companies will include local labels, major promoters, booking agencies, media, artist collectives and artist-led initiatives. In the evenings we will visit important clubs and venues in the key districts for the music industry in Mexico City.

Day 5-6

Last days prior to departure, companies are free to arrange their own meetings, maybe reconnect with some of the companies they met during the first days or from their own networks.

Who should apply?

We are looking for 15 music professionals, legally residing in either EU countries, Creative Europe countries as well as the UK, and working across electronic music genres, who above all are passionate about cross-cultural collaborations and keen to explore new ways of exporting European electronic music to Mexico.

Do you work in the live music industry sector, as an self-managed artist (or writer/producer) manager, publisher, agent or festival producer in this music genre? Relevant roles include (but are not limited to) A&R, Sync Agent, Music Supervisor, Digital Marketing (within a record label), Distribution, Publisher, Streaming Manager, Licensing, Product Manager, Project Manager, Promotion Manager.

Are you responsible for helping artists realise their export potential, with an interest for Northern/Latin America and specifically Mexico? Then we want to hear from you.

Please apply if you meet the following criteria:

Mandatory:

Over 18 years old

- Legally residing in a EU or Creative Europe country, or the UK
- Good level of spoken and written English. Knowledge of Spanish is beneficial.
- Works for a company or yourself with artists in the electronic music sector

You should have at least 3 years of experience in the music industry

Participants will have to fill out a questionaire about the trade mission (while still in Mexico)

Optional:

Have had interest from Mexican music professionals or music companies. This could be any of the following: one of your artists was invited to play at a local festival; you had interest from a local agent, publisher or label, previous work trip to search for local partners, or you can see a growing interest from the Mexican audience for at least one of the artists you work with (eg: high percentage of Mexican social media followers or streaming platform listeners). Those with previous experience working with Mexico may be prioritised.

We are also interested to know if you currently have relationships with music professionals or work with artists based in a different EU country than your own.

Please Note: only one participant per company will be chosen to participate in this programme.

As well as evaluating applications on their enthusiasm, interest and previous music export experience, we will ensure selected participants cover a range of experience, from a range of EU countries (Creative Europe countries +UK) and are gender balanced.

What is expected from participants?

Mandatory attendance at all joint events during the trade mission as well as the online Mission preparation day. Please see above for a provisional timetable of the event
Active engagement in the brainstorming group sessions, networking sessions and all other curated trade mission activities as specified
Preparation of promotional assets (EPK, promotional video, portfolio, live music video, etc.) is required – you will have to present yourself in front of an audience.
Travel Insurance to provide for emergency medical coverage – you have to provide the travel insurance in order to receive any upfront travel reimbursement.
Due to Covid and other force majeure your flight needs to be booked in a way that you can cancel it and you get full reimbursement.

What do you get in return for participating?

Travel reimbursement for an economy class plane return ticket (+ local transport, PCR tests, travel insurance) from your country/city of residence to Mexico City up to € 1000.-
Reimbursement for accommodation up to € 360.-.Trade mission will negotiate a discount price within this budget in a selected hotel that will be available to the delegates with a discount code. You are free to choose to stay in the delegate hotel or find your own. But if you find your own you will have to send an invoice for your accomodation in order to receive the reimbursement.
The opportunity to take part in a joint European trade mission – first of its kind, with a hands-on and collective thinking approach and many networking opportunities .with opportunities to meet, interact and make friends with key music industry professionals in Mexico as well as with other Europeans taking part in the trip.
The opportunity during the networking and brainstorming sessions to kickstart and nurture future international collaborations.

Timeline

CALL

Applications open: January 20, 2022

Deadlines: February 20, 2022

Selected applicants announcement: TBC

TRADE MISSION

Mission preparation day: TBC

Trade Mission in Mexico City: May 23-29,2022

Apply Now

Applications are open now and until February 20, 2022, on this link:

Apply here